Category Archives: Nature

Don’t You Think I Loved You Too Much to be Used and Discarded?

Today is Sarah’s birthday so I need to say Happy birthday Sarah!!


Solar Eclipse - 2017
HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!

Weird thing is that the picture above was taken during the great solar eclipse debacle of 2017 and today there is a solar eclipse that you can see in a few parts of these United States. Iowa wasn’t one of them, but I won’t hold a grudge against the sun and moon.

Anyways, I hope Sarah’s birthday is as amazing as she can handle. Filled with good music and without her plans getting rained on!

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Time once again for another whack at the January backlog. This time, the rest of the backlog has been whacked and thrown into the fires of… finished. I don’t know, I’m still workshopping a better name for that.

These pictures never really fit into a previous blog. Some of them are alternates for THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE.


Naima in the Snow

Naima in the Snow

Naima in the Snow

Naima in the Snow

Naima in the Snow

Naima in the Snow

Naima in the Snow

Naima in the Snow

Naima in the Snow

Naima in the Snow

Naima in the Snow

Don't You Think I Loved You Too Much to be Used and Discarded?

Don't You Think I Loved You Too Much to be Used and Discarded?

Don't You Think I Loved You Too Much to be Used and Discarded?

Don't You Think I Loved You Too Much to be Used and Discarded?

Don't You Think I Loved You Too Much to be Used and Discarded?

Don't You Think I Loved You Too Much to be Used and Discarded?

Don't You Think I Loved You Too Much to be Used and Discarded?

Don't You Think I Loved You Too Much to be Used and Discarded?

Don't You Think I Loved You Too Much to be Used and Discarded?

Don't You Think I Loved You Too Much to be Used and Discarded?

Don't You Think I Loved You Too Much to be Used and Discarded?

Don't You Think I Loved You Too Much to be Used and Discarded?

Don't You Think I Loved You Too Much to be Used and Discarded?

Don't You Think I Loved You Too Much to be Used and Discarded?

Don't You Think I Loved You Too Much to be Used and Discarded?

Don't You Think I Loved You Too Much to be Used and Discarded?

Don't You Think I Loved You Too Much to be Used and Discarded?

Don't You Think I Loved You Too Much to be Used and Discarded?

Don't You Think I Loved You Too Much to be Used and Discarded?

Don't You Think I Loved You Too Much to be Used and Discarded?

Don't You Think I Loved You Too Much to be Used and Discarded?

Don't You Think I Loved You Too Much to be Used and Discarded?

Don't You Think I Loved You Too Much to be Used and Discarded?

Now it is time to start working on the February backlog!

You and Me on the Rock

They build wooden houses on frozen ponds
In the summertime when the water’s gone
Diagonal lines in their rolled-out lawns
And the sage always smells so pretty
But nobody cares where the birds have gone
When the rain comes down on Babylon
The stonemason’s phone rings all day long
And you gotta get back to the city

I built paper planes when I learned to fly
Like a 747 fallin’ out of the sky
I folded ’em crooked and now I’m wonderin’ why
I could always end up in the water
But nobody’s askin’ why she lookin’ so thin
Why she’s laughin’ too hard, why she drinkin’ again
A falling star, she’s a paper plane
And she was goin’ down when you caught her

I build my house up on this rock, baby
Every day with you
There’s nothin’ in that town I need
After everything we’ve been through
Me out in my garden and you out on your walk
Is all the distance this old girl can take
Without listenin’ to you talk
I don’t need their money, baby
Just you and me on the rock, mm
It’s you and me on the rock
You and me on the rock
-Brandi Carlile

Brandi often tells the story about this song in concert. She got the idea from a Sunday School lesson from her childhood. She told Stereogum.com:

I had just finished the book (her memoir), and I was chronologically mining my really, really early memories. I remember Sunday school class about building your house on a rock as a little kids’ Bible story about basically building your life on a solid foundation. That foundation I think in that situation would definitely be Jesus. There was a song about building your house on a rock, and there was a little picture you colored in about building your house on a rock.

When my life changed, when everything that I identify myself by went away, I was just kind of left with a question of, well, is what I’ve built my life on really a solid foundation? I turned to [my wife] Catherine and the girls, and I wrote that song, and I realized that, yeah, even the most intensely self-identifying things can go away, but what my life is really built on, which is faith and my family, it’s a rock, and it’s solid. And then I just used some of the textures, some of the things that were happening in my day, from me being in my garden and her taking her space and going on her walks. She’s got the most beautiful English accent that I just could listen to even when she’s bitching at me. I could listen to it all day. And I just realized that they’re my foundation and that anything can change, and that won’t.

What did that earlier foundation look like for you?

CARLILE: Well, I just think that when you’re a kid and the first thing that happens when you pick up a guitar and learn to play a couple chords or open your mouth and sing a song is, the adults start telling you, “You better have a backup plan. I hope you have a plan B because the shit could hit the fan.” I’m always just like, “Eh, fuck off.” There is no plan B for an artist. But you always wonder. What if I get cancer? What if I break my back? What if I have a vocal hemorrhage, and my voice doesn’t come back? Basically, what if my job goes away? What if the thing that makes me me just stops? It happens to people every day for all different reasons in their lives, but musicians and artists almost universally have that lecture many times in their life about this backup plan.

When the pandemic hit, it was like all of our nightmares just kind of ushered in. Nobody had a backup plan. We’re artists. We don’t have any money saved. We don’t do that. It was scary because it makes you question whether or not you should’ve had a backup plan. Or what if the thing that makes me me goes away? Am I still me? Those were the questions that were in my mind. It’s like I’m not going to get a round of applause for emptying the dishwasher. But I looked around, and then I saw that what made me me wasn’t ever that.

I’ll be honest, this isn’t one of my favorite Brandi songs, but dang do I love the message.

To be honest, I would sometimes like a round of applause for emptying the dishwasher.

But Thursdays are for flowers and not for getting applause for doing basic household chores. Here is a collection of flowertography images mostly from my yard.


Girl in the Blue Skirt - 2023

Girl in the Blue Skirt - 2023

Girl in the Blue Skirt - 2023

Girl in the Blue Skirt - 2023

Girl in the Blue Skirt - 2023

You and Me on the Rock

You and Me on the Rock

You and Me on the Rock

You and Me on the Rock

Unceasing Effort - 2023

Unceasing Effort - 2023

Unceasing Effort - 2023

Unceasing Effort - 2023

Unceasing Effort - 2023

Unceasing Effort - 2023

Happiness Shared - 2023

Happiness Shared - 2023

Happiness Shared - 2023

Oh But Still... - 2023

Not All Love Stories - 2023

Not All Love Stories - 2023

You and Me on the Rock

Next Flowertography Thursday will involve more flowers from my yard.

Rodan139: Water Works Park

Today is Sara’s birthday, which means I have to wish Sara a happy birthday!


June 11

Happy birthday Sara!!! I hope your day is filled with a bunch of Brandi Carlile and some Tres leches cake!

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Today is also Scottie D.’s birthday! Which means I get to say Happy birthday Scottie D.!!


June 15

I hope your birthday is filled with good food, expensive bourbon, and even just a little bit of DMB!

+++++++

It is getting near the end of drone season so I really need to start taking Rodan139 out as much as possible. Although I need to sort out a firmware update and some Remote ID stuff here shortly. I did take Rodan139 out for a brief flight around Water Works Bridge recently though. Here are some pictures:


Rodan139: Water Works Park

Rodan139: Water Works Park

Rodan139: Water Works Park

Rodan139: Water Works Park

Rodan139: Water Works Park

Rodan139: Water Works Park

Rodan139: Water Works Park

Rodan139: Water Works Park

Rodan139: Water Works Park

Rodan139: Water Works Park

Rodan139: Water Works Park

Rodan139: Water Works Park

Rodan139: Water Works Park

Rodan139: Water Works Park

I don’t have any other drone pictures in the can right now, but I’m sure I’ll take it out for a flight sometime in the near future.

Now I Don’t Want Your Sympathy

We’ve come to the end of the black & white week. Time to share the black & white pictures I took last Sunday. Some of these pictures are from wandering around my yard. Some are from the Howard Family Photo Shoot. Some are from the Octagon Art Festival.

This might be the biggest collection yet, so we might as well get to it:


Now I don't want your sympathy

Now I don't want your sympathy

Now I don't want your sympathy

Now I don't want your sympathy

Now I don't want your sympathy

Now I Don't Want Your Sympathy

Now I Don't Want Your Sympathy

Last Penny - 2023

Last Penny - 2023

Soul Expansion - 2023

Now I Don't Want Your Sympathy

Now I Don't Want Your Sympathy

Now I Don't Want Your Sympathy

Now I Don't Want Your Sympathy

Now I Don't Want Your Sympathy

Howards - 2023

Howards - 2023

Howards - 2023

Howards - 2023

Howards - 2023

Howards - 2023

Howards - 2023

Howards - 2023

Howards - 2023

Howards - 2023

Howards - 2023

Howards - 2023

Howards - 2023

Howards - 2023

Howards - 2023

Howards - 2023

Howards - 2023

Howards - 2023

Howards - 2023

Howards - 2023

Howards - 2023

Howards - 2023

Howards - 2023

Now I Don't Want Your Sympathy

Now I Don't Want Your Sympathy

Now I Don't Want Your Sympathy

Now I Don't Want Your Sympathy

Now I Don't Want Your Sympathy

Now I Don't Want Your Sympathy

Now I Don't Want Your Sympathy

Now I Don't Want Your Sympathy

Now I Don't Want Your Sympathy

Now I Don't Want Your Sympathy

Now I Don't Want Your Sympathy

Now I Don't Want Your Sympathy

Now I Don't Want Your Sympathy

Now I Don't Want Your Sympathy

Now I Don't Want Your Sympathy

Now I Don't Want Your Sympathy

Now I Don't Want Your Sympathy

Now I Don't Want Your Sympathy

Now I Don't Want Your Sympathy

Now I Don't Want Your Sympathy

Now I Don't Want Your Sympathy

Now I Don't Want Your Sympathy

Now I Don't Want Your Sympathy

Now I Don't Want Your Sympathy

Now I Don't Want Your Sympathy

Now I Don't Want Your Sympathy

Now I Don't Want Your Sympathy

Now I Don't Want Your Sympathy

Now I Don't Want Your Sympathy

Now I Don't Want Your Sympathy

Now I Don't Want Your Sympathy

Now I Don't Want Your Sympathy

Now I Don't Want Your Sympathy

Now I Don't Want Your Sympathy

If you are wondering about the Howard family photos, I kept a separate camera set to black & white to snap a few photos here and there. The photo shoot was not in black & white. Except for the clothes they are wearing.

If you are wondering how many black & white photos I took last week to get one submission for THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE… the answer is…

872

Although to be transparent, somewhere on Tuesday I knew the basic setup of the picture I was going to use for my submission. So you could say I took that image and then over 800 safeties.

Black & White Week has concluded. But remember.

There was nothing wrong with this website. Do not attempt to adjust the picture. I am controlling transmission. If I wish to make it louder, I will bring up the volume. If I wish to make it softer, I will tune it to a whisper. I will control the horizontal. I will control the vertical. I can roll the image, make it flutter. I can change the focus to a soft blur, or sharpen it to crystal clarity. For this last week, you sat quietly and I controlled all that you saw and heard. There is nothing wrong with this website. You participated in a great adventure. You experienced the awe and mystery which reaches from the inner mind to… Black & White Week.

I now return control of this website (not really) to you, until next year, when the Control Voice will take you to Black & White Week!

But You Broke Much More Than That

I took a ton of pictures on Saturday that are alternates for the BLACK & WHITE theme for THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE. So buckle up, this is going to be a long post. Even though most of these images can be broken into two different events.

1. Trip to Jester Park.
2. Iowa State football game.

No reason to keep dinking around. Here are the images from last Saturday:


But You Broke Much More Than That
I believe this is the 1st time I’ve seen Faust since before the pandemic. That is a damn shame!

But You Broke Much More Than That

But You Broke Much More Than That
Jester Park

But You Broke Much More Than That

But You Broke Much More Than That

But You Broke Much More Than That

But You Broke Much More Than That

But You Broke Much More Than That

But You Broke Much More Than That

But You Broke Much More Than That

But You Broke Much More Than That

But You Broke Much More Than That

But You Broke Much More Than That

But You Broke Much More Than That

But You Broke Much More Than That

But You Broke Much More Than That

But You Broke Much More Than That

But You Broke Much More Than That

But You Broke Much More Than That

But You Broke Much More Than That

But You Broke Much More Than That

But You Broke Much More Than That

But You Broke Much More Than That

But You Broke Much More Than That

But You Broke Much More Than That

But You Broke Much More Than That

But You Broke Much More Than That

But You Broke Much More Than That

But You Broke Much More Than That

But You Broke Much More Than That

But You Broke Much More Than That

But You Broke Much More Than That

But You Broke Much More Than That

But You Broke Much More Than That

But You Broke Much More Than That

I didn’t tailgate for the game on Saturday. Derrick and I got to stadium in time to catch the end of the warmups. I took in a cheap point & shoot I bought at a computer mine auction several years ago. I haven’t fired pixels through it in over 4 years. I didn’t take many game pictures for a variety of reasons, but I took plenty of pictures of the things that surround the game.


Iowa State vs Oklahoma State - 2023

Iowa State vs Oklahoma State - 2023

Iowa State vs Oklahoma State - 2023

Iowa State vs Oklahoma State - 2023
I love that they still use the Twitter logo. F Elon Musk.

Iowa State vs Oklahoma State - 2023

Iowa State vs Oklahoma State - 2023

Iowa State vs Oklahoma State - 2023

Iowa State vs Oklahoma State - 2023

Iowa State vs Oklahoma State - 2023

Iowa State vs Oklahoma State - 2023

Iowa State vs Oklahoma State - 2023

Iowa State vs Oklahoma State - 2023

Iowa State vs Oklahoma State - 2023

Iowa State vs Oklahoma State - 2023

Iowa State vs Oklahoma State - 2023

Iowa State vs Oklahoma State - 2023

Iowa State vs Oklahoma State - 2023

Iowa State vs Oklahoma State - 2023

Iowa State vs Oklahoma State - 2023

Iowa State vs Oklahoma State - 2023

Iowa State vs Oklahoma State - 2023

Iowa State vs Oklahoma State - 2023

Iowa State vs Oklahoma State - 2023

Iowa State vs Oklahoma State - 2023

Iowa State vs Oklahoma State - 2023

Iowa State vs Oklahoma State - 2023

Iowa State vs Oklahoma State - 2023

Iowa State vs Oklahoma State - 2023

Iowa State vs Oklahoma State - 2023

Iowa State vs Oklahoma State - 2023

Iowa State vs Oklahoma State - 2023

Iowa State vs Oklahoma State - 2023

Iowa State vs Oklahoma State - 2023

Iowa State vs Oklahoma State - 2023

Iowa State vs Oklahoma State - 2023

Iowa State vs Oklahoma State - 2023

Iowa State vs Oklahoma State - 2023

Iowa State vs Oklahoma State - 2023

Iowa State vs Oklahoma State - 2023

Iowa State vs Oklahoma State - 2023

Iowa State vs Oklahoma State - 2023

Iowa State vs Oklahoma State - 2023

Iowa State vs Oklahoma State - 2023

But You Broke Much More Than That

I think it was a pretty good to great day!

Only one more pretty big sized collection of black & white images before we return to our normal broadcast schedule.

I’d Say You Broke My Heart

Today is Elizabeth’s birthday, so I have to wish her a happy birthday!


June 29

I hope your birthday is as amazing as you can handle! Filled with breakfast burritos without hashbrowns and/or Happy Joe’s Pizza!

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Today I’m going to share a collection of images I took last Friday for last week’s THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE. Because I got stuck at the Computer Mine a couple of nights earlier in the week I planned on leaving at 9 AM, but I hung on until 11 since there is a lot of sickly in my department.

I think I made lunch and then probably took a nap. The I took Naima to the vet for her shots. Then I went to Iowa State to maybe pick up some stuff for the game the next day. Then I went down to Ankeny to pickup a bunch of Iowa State stuff for future tailgates. I took pictures on a bunch of it.

Here is the collection of pictures from the day:


I'd Say You Broke My Heart

I'd Say You Broke My Heart

I'd Say You Broke My Heart

I'd Say You Broke My Heart

I'd Say You Broke My Heart

I'd Say You Broke My Heart

I'd Say You Broke My Heart

I'd Say You Broke My Heart

I'd Say You Broke My Heart

I'd Say You Broke My Heart

I'd Say You Broke My Heart

I'd Say You Broke My Heart

I'd Say You Broke My Heart

I'd Say You Broke My Heart

I'd Say You Broke My Heart

I'd Say You Broke My Heart

I'd Say You Broke My Heart

I'd Say You Broke My Heart

I'd Say You Broke My Heart

I'd Say You Broke My Heart

I'd Say You Broke My Heart

I'd Say You Broke My Heart

I'd Say You Broke My Heart

I'd Say You Broke My Heart

I'd Say You Broke My Heart

I'd Say You Broke My Heart

I'd Say You Broke My Heart

I'd Say You Broke My Heart

I'd Say You Broke My Heart

I'd Say You Broke My Heart

I'd Say You Broke My Heart

I'd Say You Broke My Heart

I'd Say You Broke My Heart

Soul Expansion - 2023

Soul Expansion - 2023

Soul Expansion - 2023

Soul Expansion - 2023

I'd Say You Broke My Heart

I'd Say You Broke My Heart

I'd Say You Broke My Heart

I'd Say You Broke My Heart

I'd Say You Broke My Heart

I'd Say You Broke My Heart

I'd Say You Broke My Heart

I'd Say You Broke My Heart

Painted without Instruction -2023

Painted without Instruction -2023

Painted without Instruction -2023

Painted without Instruction -2023

I'd Say You Broke My Heart

I'd Say You Broke My Heart

I'd Say You Broke My Heart

I'd Say You Broke My Heart

I'd Say You Broke My Heart

I'd Say You Broke My Heart

I'd Say You Broke My Heart

I'd Say You Broke My Heart

I'd Say You Broke My Heart

I'd Say You Broke My Heart

That is it for Friday, but there are two more days of black & white images left to share!

About Someone Who Loved You More

This collection of alternate images for last week’s theme for THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE will include pictures I took on Wednesday and Thursday of last week. Most of them I took on my lunch break from the computer mine on Wednesday. I went to downtown Ames to talk to Derrick about the upcoming football game on Saturday, but he was actually at the bank. So I did wander around a little bit and do some street photography.

I got stuck working late yet again on Wednesday night, so I didn’t take many pictures in the evening.

Here is the collection of images from Wednesday:


About Someone Who Loved You More

About Someone Who Loved You More

About Someone Who Loved You More

About Someone Who Loved You More

About Someone Who Loved You More

About Someone Who Loved You More

About Someone Who Loved You More

About Someone Who Loved You More

About Someone Who Loved You More

About Someone Who Loved You More

About Someone Who Loved You More

About Someone Who Loved You More

About Someone Who Loved You More

About Someone Who Loved You More

About Someone Who Loved You More

About Someone Who Loved You More

About Someone Who Loved You More

About Someone Who Loved You More

About Someone Who Loved You More

About Someone Who Loved You More

About Someone Who Loved You More

About Someone Who Loved You More

About Someone Who Loved You More

About Someone Who Loved You More

About Someone Who Loved You More

About Someone Who Loved You More

About Someone Who Loved You More

About Someone Who Loved You More

About Someone Who Loved You More

About Someone Who Loved You More

About Someone Who Loved You More

About Someone Who Loved You More

About Someone Who Loved You More

About Someone Who Loved You More

About Someone Who Loved You More

About Someone Who Loved You More

About Someone Who Loved You More

About Someone Who Loved You More

Radiation of Happiness - 2023

On Thursday I woke up to a foggy morning. I had to work at the Computer Mine worldwide headquarters. So I snapped some pictures on the way there. Then I snapped a few pictures at work and then did some shopping after work. Then took a few more when I got home.

Here are the Thursday pictures:


Girl in the Blue Skirt - 2023

Garden of Love - 2022

Garden of Love - 2022

Garden of Love - 2022

Garden of Love - 2022

Garden of Love - 2022

Painted without Instruction -2023

About Someone Who Loved You More

About Someone Who Loved You More

About Someone Who Loved You More

About Someone Who Loved You More

About Someone Who Loved You More

About Someone Who Loved You More

About Someone Who Loved You More

About Someone Who Loved You More

About Someone Who Loved You More

About Someone Who Loved You More

About Someone Who Loved You More

About Someone Who Loved You More

About Someone Who Loved You More

About Someone Who Loved You More

About Someone Who Loved You More

About Someone Who Loved You More

About Someone Who Loved You More

About Someone Who Loved You More

About Someone Who Loved You More

About Someone Who Loved You More

About Someone Who Loved You More

About Someone Who Loved You More

About Someone Who Loved You More

About Someone Who Loved You More

About Someone Who Loved You More

About Someone Who Loved You More

A lot of examples in this collection for why I love black & white photography so much. Or one of the reasons. There is just so much play in the exposure control that you get with black & white that you don’t get with color photography. Which isn’t to say that it is less demanding, because if anything, it can be more demanding. However, there is so much latitude in exposure and some of the things that can destroy a color photo like grain (or digital noise) can actually enhance a black & white image.

4 days down, but believe you me… we are just starting to get warmed up.

But God, You Couldn’t Have Cared Less

I told you that BLACK & WHITE was my favorite theme and I wasn’t joking. I took a ton of BLACK & WHITE pictures for last week’s theme and every day (well almost every day) this week I’m going to share another collection of alternates. This first collection consists of the pictures that I took on Monday and Tuesday.

There is a rule in digital photography that you should never take pictures in black & white. You should take them in color and convert the images to black & white with editing software. The reason for this is because you can always take color away from a digital image, but you can’t add color back to it, if it was never there. (I mean, that is close enough to the truth. If you really wanted to you could make an attempt to add color to a black & white image, but it would probably come out looking like an outtake from THE INFENRAL CAULDRON.

Any Georges Méliès fans in the house? No? I’ll move on.

But I decided to ignore the rules and took all my pictures in “High Contrast Monochrome”. Cause you know how I feel about rules.

Rules are for fools.
Rules are for tools.
Rules are for ghouls.
Rules are for pools.

But rules for photography? Well, mostly they are guidelines that can and should be broken. From time to time.

I had big plans to get out there everyday and take plenty of beautiful, dare I say, tasty High Contrast Monochrome images. But right out of the bat, my Monday went south on me. There was a virtual mine collapse at the Computer Mine and I ended up working from 7 AM to nearly 11 PM. I only got a few pictures taken here and there while I was able to take a few breaks.

So most of the Monday images are just testing camera settings, playing with my old friend the fisheye and testing a point and shoot that I would need to use later in the week.

Here are the Monday images:


But God, You Couldn't Have Cared Less

But God, You Couldn't Have Cared Less

But God, You Couldn't Have Cared Less

But God, You Couldn't Have Cared Less

But God, You Couldn't Have Cared Less
I swear that when I saw this image on the small screen I thought there was a reflection of Naima staring back at me from the lid of my grill. I mean it is an uncanny likeness.

But God, You Couldn't Have Cared Less

But God, You Couldn't Have Cared Less

But God, You Couldn't Have Cared Less
This is actually “Rich Monochrome”. Basically a HDR black & white image. A setting, that has its uses, but I don’t love it.

But God, You Couldn't Have Cared Less

But God, You Couldn't Have Cared Less

But God, You Couldn't Have Cared Less
My desk. Been thinking about building my own desk lately.

But God, You Couldn't Have Cared Less
Test shot with the point & shoot

Tuesday I also wasn’t as active as I originally thought I might be. I actually got out of work on time, but I think Monday sucked my will to live out of me. I had a pretty lazy Tuesday. But I did get out of the house for a little bit to take Naima on a car ride and to take my neighbor’s cans to the can redemption center. I took a bit of street photography while I was out and about.

Here are Tuesday’s images:


But God, You Couldn't Have Cared Less

But God, You Couldn't Have Cared Less

But God, You Couldn't Have Cared Less

But God, You Couldn't Have Cared Less

But God, You Couldn't Have Cared Less

But God, You Couldn't Have Cared Less

But God, You Couldn't Have Cared Less

But God, You Couldn't Have Cared Less

But God, You Couldn't Have Cared Less

But God, You Couldn't Have Cared Less

But God, You Couldn't Have Cared Less

But God, You Couldn't Have Cared Less

But God, You Couldn't Have Cared Less

But God, You Couldn't Have Cared Less

But God, You Couldn't Have Cared Less

But God, You Couldn't Have Cared Less

But God, You Couldn't Have Cared Less

But God, You Couldn't Have Cared Less

But God, You Couldn't Have Cared Less

But God, You Couldn't Have Cared Less

But God, You Couldn't Have Cared Less

But God, You Couldn't Have Cared Less

But God, You Couldn't Have Cared Less

But God, You Couldn't Have Cared Less

But God, You Couldn't Have Cared Less

But God, You Couldn't Have Cared Less

But God, You Couldn't Have Cared Less

Still so very, very, very, many black & white pictures to share with you guys!

Harder to Forgive

I love the songs I hated when I was young
Because they take me back where I come from
When every broken heart seemed like the end
When everyone was someone different then

But I can’t be alone in a crowded room
Where my thoughts, they run like water down a flume
There are days when I will let the darkness rise
I don’t always choose to stay on the sunny side

Yes, my life has seen some wasted time
I have suffered for the peace inside my mind
And some things are better left unsaid
While some things work out different when they’re in your head

But I’m not sorry for the things I say
Sometimes I let my mouth just run away
And I believe that all souls are born kind
And that all love lost comes back in time

And even if the world is really round
And all the maps are painted upside down
So if you stand in one place for too long
Everything around you will be gone

Well, I’m not gonna miss you when I go
Now the part of me that’s left wants you to know
That I’m not gonna jump towards the light
The one to believe choose the night

Sometimes I pretend we never met (ooh)
Because it’s harder to forgive than to forget
Sometimes it’s harder to forgive
-Brandi Carlile

This is the second to last song title I’m going use as a journal entry title from Brandi’s 2018 album “By the Way, I Forgive You”. Obviously the theme of the album is forgiveness and it spawns from Brandi’s forgiveness of a Pastor.

She said this in a NPR interview:

Well,(forgiveness) it kind of appeared out of my record, and my writing process, like a sculpture would appear when you take the pieces of stone away that don’t belong: I didn’t realize that that’s what I was writing about until I was looking back on it. But it’s a word that I think is kind of evangelicalized … or glossed over by kind of a “hashtag blessed” way of looking at it. It’s a really radical and ugly, difficult process that, you know, great beauty comes from.

She took to social media to write about the pastor and to urge people to share their stories about forgiveness. This is what she wrote:

I forgive you for deciding not to baptize me when I was a teenager for being gay.
It was not so much that you wouldn’t or couldn’t do it because of the tenants put in place by the baptist rules and traditions, but because you waited until all my family and friends were present and waiting in the pews for the ceremony.

I don’t believe you did it to humiliate me – I think you struggled with the decision and simply ran out of time… I think you probably still do struggle with it.

I’d like you to know that I still love you and that I understand we’re all on a journey together, trying our best to walk through the world with honor and dignity – but what I want you to know most of all is that you did not damage my faith. Not in god, not in humanity and not in myself.

The experience inspired me to help other gay kids and my spiritual LGBTQ brothers and sisters come to terms with the disappointments they’ve endured on the rugged road to peace and acceptance. I think you’d appreciate that process.

You’ve helped far more people than you’ve hurt and you helped me too.

Thank you

I admire Brandi for her forgiveness and for not letting this pastor damage her faith in god, humanity or herself. It is easier to say you forgive than it is to actually forgive and that is another reason I admire Brandi.

But enough on forgiveness. I need to share some flower pictures, since Thursdays are for flowers and if I don’t share some flowertography some you may not forgive me. Others won’t forgive me because I will share flowertography. I forgive those people too.

These flower pictures were taken of the red bud trees in Red Haw State Park near Chariton. I’m sharing more than usual, so buckle up:


Red Haw State Park Red Buds

Red Haw State Park Red Buds

Red Haw State Park Red Buds

Red Haw State Park Red Buds

Red Haw State Park Red Buds

Red Haw State Park Red Buds

Red Haw State Park Red Buds

Red Haw State Park Red Buds

Red Haw State Park Red Buds

Red Haw State Park Red Buds

Red Haw State Park Red Buds

Red Haw State Park Red Buds

Red Haw State Park Red Buds

Red Haw State Park Red Buds

Red Haw State Park Red Buds

Red Haw State Park Red Buds

Red Haw State Park Red Buds

Red Haw State Park Red Buds

Red Haw State Park Red Buds

Red Haw State Park Red Buds

Red Haw State Park Red Buds

Red Haw State Park Red Buds

Red Haw State Park Red Buds

Red Haw State Park Red Buds

Red Haw State Park Red Buds

Red Haw State Park Red Buds

Red Haw State Park Red Buds

Red Haw State Park Red Buds
I know there are people that will hate this technique. I get it, but I think it is okay in the right way. Is this the right way? I’ll let the people being the judge.

Red Haw State Park Red Buds

Red Haw State Park Red Buds

Red Haw State Park Red Buds

Red Haw State Park Red Buds

Red Haw State Park Red Buds

Red Haw State Park Red Buds

Red Haw State Park Red Buds

Red Haw State Park Red Buds

Red Haw State Park Red Buds

Red Haw State Park Red Buds

Red Haw State Park Red Buds

I don’t know if anybody else experiences this or this is a failing that is exclusive to me, but on occasion I’m photographing a place this is just so naturally beautiful, but I get the feeling I’m absolutely failing to remotely do it justice in any way shape or form. This is one of those times.

Sometimes I get back home and start scrolling through the pictures on the big screen and that feeling wins. I didn’t do it justice. This wasn’t one of those times. I’m actually pleased with these images. Even if I am danger of breaking an arm to pat myself on my back.

Red Haw State Park was hit by a tornado in 2022. You can definitely tell it was hit pretty hard as there are so many trees gone and parts of the park that still aren’t open. I can only imagine how beautiful it was before the tornado.

The next collection of flower images will come from flowers in my yard.